Live bait boat



Nov. 3, 1953 LIVE BAIT BOAT Filed Sept. 29, 1949 o o o o o o e o e e e I 26 o o o o a o n o o 0 .9 0 L 46 Fleg'3. n o a e 0 0 0 0 [L o g l.; o o e o o e o o o o o 30 9 o ,9 o o o o o o qz- E' Q -g 2a :l `l

Inventor F/`g.4

Robert E. Lee Spofswood Patented Nov. 3, 1953 LIVE BAIT BOAT Robert E. Lee Spotswood, Mobile, Ala., assigner of fifty per cent to Irving 'J. Greenwald,

Mobile, Ala.

Application September 29, 19449, Serial No. 118,558

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a live bait receptacle, and more particularly to a receptacle comprising a vessel which may be readily towed behind a fast moving boat or the like.

An object of this invention is to provide a live bait boat which will insure proper protection of all live bait while the bait boat is being towed at low or high speeds behind another boat and which will permit thorough cleaning after such use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a live bait boat having a series of transversely disposed baies secured to the bottom of the boat, which divide the Vboat intoa series of compartments. Y

Still another object resides in the provision of spaced bailies which cause a supply of aerated water for habitation by live bait.

It is well known that live bait when emplaced in a conventional receptacle which is positioned in a body of water or towed behind a boat either encloses the bait in a stagnating body of water, or permits the entrance of a stream of water which will injure the bait by its force. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a strong, durable, and simple bait boat which will avoid these objectionable limitations'while being relatively inexpensive to manufacture and easily towed behind another boat.

These, together with the various ancillary objects of the invention, which will become apparent as the following description proceeds,

are attained by this live bait boat. a preferred embodiment of which has been shown, by way of example only, in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the live bait boat comprising the present invention being towed behind a speed boat or the like;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view as taken along the longitudinal axis of the live baitr boat of Figure 1 and showing in greatest detail the compartments which the baffles divide the boat into;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view as taken along line 3 3 in Figure 2; and, Y

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view as taken along line 4-4 in Figure 3.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, I generally represents a speed boat, cabin cruiser, orthe like, behind which the live bait boat generallydesignated'by the reierence numeral I2 is adapted to be towed.

- ing it.

rIhe live bait boat I2 comprises a perforated bottom I4 having a series of spaced apertures I6 therein and which is curved upwardly and forwardly at the forward end I8. The upper portion of the forward end I8 ofthe boat is imperforate. Secured to the bottom are spaced side walls and 22, each having a plurality of spaced apertures 24 therethrough. Secured to the bottom and to the side walls 20 and 22 is a rear wall 26 which comprises a peripheral frame 28 and a wire mesh 30 secured to the peripheral frame by being inserted into grooves 32 therein. As shown,

Ythere are three transversely disposed baies 34,

3S and 38 which extend from one side wall to the other and are attached to the side walls and to the bottom I4.

A top panel is secured to the side walls 20 and 22, to the end wall 26 and to the forward tip of the forward portion I8 of the bottom I4. Between the top 40 and the forward portion I8 of the bottom I4 is placed a substantially triangular block 42 through which a suitable draft bar 44 having an eye 46 at its frontmost end is bolted. The tcp 48 is provided with an aperture in which cover plate 52 is hingedly, as at 54, emplaced. The cover plate 52 is supported by a peripheral retainer 55 surrounding the aperture. The plate 52 in its closed position rests upon the retainer 55 and is held thereon by a catch 56 which is rotatably secured to the cover for selective engagement over the cover plate 52. A knob 58 is secured to the cover plate for lift- This live bait boat planes when towed and will not drain dry, even when towed at high speed. As the water entering through the apertures in the bottom I4 and the sides 2l) and 22 will be stopped by the bafes 38, 36 and 34, it will not attain the unrestricted high speed attained when the baffles are not present. Additionally, the water at the bottom of the compartments will not be as turbulent as that above, because of the baiies. The bait, of course, such as shrimp, minnows or the like, will rest upon the bottom preferably so Yas to remain uninjured, and the water passing over the bailes will become aerated so as to be more easily utilized by the bait for the oxygen content thereof. Additionally, the baffles provide easy means for separating the boat into compartments for different type bait.

From the foregoing, the construction and advantages of this live bait boat are readily apparent, further description is believed to be unnecessary. Y

However, since numerous modications will readily occur to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoing specication and accompanying drawings, it is not intended to limit the invention to the precise embodiment of live bait boat shown and described, but al1 suitable modications and equivalents may be resorted to which lie within the scope of the appended claim.`

Having described the claimed as new is:

A live bait boat comprising side walls, a rear wall, a top and a perforated bottom including anV upwardly curved bow portion and hav-ingl an upper imperforate end eig-tending to, saidv top,f and a plurality of longitudin spaced baflies on the bottom extending transversely between said side walls and spaced below the tcp, said baffles dening a series of relatively calm compartments for the reception of live bait and adapted to receive upwardly flowing Water through the perforations, said rear walgl having invent-ion, what is Va screenedv outletV opening l'liereiril spaced above said bottom, the sidel walls having their lowest perforations at a levelof substantially the plane of; the top edge of. the bellies, the rear. Wall being a screened frame; member wherein the sides of the frame member have a vertical dimension sufficient to enable the adjacent baille and said side wall of the frame member to dene a well at the rear of the boat, the location of the lower openings of the side Wall of the frame member and the size of the frame member being effectual to cause water within the boat to be detected, upwardlyby Said@ bafesf when the boat is trolled and permittinga suicient discharge of water from locations between the baffles to reduce to a minimum creating turbulent conditions in the zones between the bales.

ROBERT E. LEE SPOTSWOOD.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 337,446 Scott et al. Mar. 9, 1886 566,017 Ruprecht Oct. 3, 1893 523,470 Hemp et al. July 24, 1894 631,377 McCreery Aue. 212, 1899 1,490,868 Voell Apr. 15, 1924 1,619,634- Roat Mar. 1, 1,927 1,630,131 Messinge-r May 24 1 927 2,438,739 Burruss Mal. 3,05.4 1948 

